Spinal Muscle Atrophy or SMA is the most prevalent condition among children and babies, wherein they cannot use their muscles. This happens as the nerve cells break down between the brain and spinal cord. As a result, messages are not sent from the brain to control the movement of the muscle.

Here are some of the  early signs and popular treatments of SMA .

Early signs of SMA

Poor head control
Having poor head control is one of the most common early signs, and popular treatments of SMA can help cure the problem. The head consistently flops down, and the child might not be able to keep the head upright for a long time. 

Muscle problem
Kids with the most severe type of SMA might not be able to control their muscles. Floppy arms and legs, as well as problems swallowing, are common problems in kids with SMA. However, the biggest problem is not being able to breathe properly as the muscles that control breathing do not function properly. It has been observed that kids with type 1 SMA often do not live beyond the age of 2 due to breathing problems.

Difficulty with performing regular activities
SMA, in its mildest form, affects children within the age group of 2 to 17 years and children are able to stand or walk without any external help. However, the children might experience difficulty in slightly complex regular activities like climbing stairs, running,  and getting up from a chair or bed.  This might result in the need for a wheelchair later in life. These signs of SMA are seen in Type 3, also known as Kugelberg-Welander disease or juvenile SMA.

Knowing  early signs and popular treatments of SMA  is necessary for parents as the disease requires them to act immediately. Here are some treatments for SMA.

Medication
Nusinersen (Spinraza) and Onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi (Zolgensma) are two medicines that have been approved by the FDA. These medicines are used for gene therapy. As SMA results from a mutation in SMN1 or SMN2 gene, the medicines help the body to make proteins so that muscle movement can be controlled.

Breathing help
As one of the most severe kinds of SMA results in breathing problems, leading to the death of children under the age of 2, breathing help is necessary to make airways and lungs stronger. A suction machine can be used to clear the mucus.

Change with diet
As children with SMA might not usually get enough nutrients, consulting a dietician is helpful. If a feeding tube is needed to feed the child, understanding what to feed is very important, and that can be known with professional help.